The Open 2015: Dustin Johnson on course for redemption after 'Armageddon'

By Chris Murphy, CNN

Updated 0432 GMT (1232 HKT) July 18, 2015

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

The start of the second round at the Open Championship was delayed Friday after torrential rain flooded sections of the course.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

The heavens opened at 5 a.m. (BST) and quickly flooded the course, forming mini rivers in front of the famous old St Andrews clubhouse.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

Huge puddles of water were dotted all over the Old Course, but Peter Dawson, Royal and Ancient chief executive wasn't overly concerned. "This is a very sandy golf course and once it starts to drain you will find it dries very quickly," Dawson told BBC Scotland.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

"If there is any course which can take this it is the Old Course at St Andrews," Dawson added.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

A duck makes the most the the wet conditions.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

Play started at 6.30 a.m. as scheduled, but Jaco van Zyl, Mark Calcavecchia and Marcel Siem only made it to the first green before the rain worsened and play was halted.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

An army of green staff got to work clearing the water as soon as the heavy rain relented.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

Happily there was somewhere for all the water to go as green staff armed with squeegees brush the puddles into the famous Swilcan Burn.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

The 1995 Open Champion John Daly was one of the first out when play resumed at 10 a.m.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

Dustin Johnson leads the way on 10-under-par. After an opening round of 65 on Thursday, Johnson was forced to call it a day at the 14th hole on a rain-interrupted day two. He will finish his second round early on Saturday.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

A giant scoreboard illuminates one of the huge puddles that had formed on the Old Course.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

Gary Woodland of the United States (R), Danny Willett of England (C) and his caddie Jonathan Smart (L) walk across Swilcan Bridge.

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Photos:Lovely weather for ducks, not birdies!

Jordan Spieth of the United States tees off on the 4th hole during the second round.

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St. Andrews, Scotland (CNN)It wasn't quite Armageddon, but it was definitely a long day at St. Andrews.

At the conclusion of Friday it ended as it began, with Dustin Johnson leading tournament and on course to secure his first major.

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Johnson called it a night with his ball on the 14th fairway and his score at 10-under-par, one clear of England's Danny Willett, who was lucky enough to complete his round.

A shot further back is Paul Lawrie, home-crowd favorite among the Scottish patrons and the 1999 (British) Open champion, as well as Australian Jason Day, a perennial contender in recent majors.

"We needed to play," Johnson said when quizzed about the late finish. "The more we get done, the easier it is for the return.

"I'm in a good spot, I feel great. It definitely got tricky this afternoon, all day. Even the front side the wind was howling and it was blowing straight left to right pretty much. It played very tough all day.

"It was a long day. I'll go and get a good night's rest and get back out here tomorrow."